Moving Up the Ladder

This is where I am: Inspiration to Move up the ladder:

Having reached the age of 35, I have been contemplating leaving the youth sector and concentrating on business and other personal development initiatives in the continent. There has been allot of reaction to my decision and many people still think I am young enough to continue doing what I do with young people. My position however remains as stated. While I will continue to support initiatives for empowerment of young people, I will no longer be on the frontline. I believe there are many young people I have personally mentored and they will be picking the pieces from where I am leaving. I also believe they are bound to have a much bigger impact than what I had. They have to remain committed, be driven by passion for doing good without expecting any material gain. Only that way we shall get the real empowerment and development that our communities require.

But again, I am not leaving the scene as yet. On my transition to my next challenge, here is what I will be up to: I am turning to large scale farming of high value crops from food crops to cash crops. I am also concentrating on making the Green Teams a real social enterprise. And I will for the next two years, do more on mentorship, coaching and developing strong social economies driven by young social entrepreneurs at community level. My drive is to gain a social capital that will transform communities. I will be expounding on each of the areas in the days to come with real examples of actions on the ground.

I sought a recommendation from one of my mentors Mr. Alexander Crawford, whoum I had an opportunity of working with while I was in Sweden at the Tallberg Foundation. Here is what he had to say about me. I am awed:

“Emmanuel is an exceptional young man and leader. He has an uncommon drive and energy, a deep understanding of the driving forces reshaping Africa, a firm inner compass and a strong desire to both improve the prospects of African youth, and to address the interconnected environmental, economic and social challenges that Africa and the world face. It is obvious that he commands the respect and admiration of many young people in Kenya and other Sub-Saharan African countries, and the Green Teams initiative is already a great success” Here is My Mentor’s Testimonial about me in motion: http://varldensbastacv.ledarna.se/v/emmanueldennis

Early this year I had an opportunity of interacting with the various entrepreneurs in Zambia courtesy of the Sweden@Zambia forum. I was equally humbled to see many people committe to the theme of sustainability in the initiatives they are undertaking. I met one particulat gentlemen from Sweden who introduced a unique application that turn your CV into a Movie sort of clips. Here is what I got on a portion of my CV: in Motion: http://varldensbastacv.ledarna.se/v/emmanuel-dennisngongo

Here are other interesting opportunities I had to talk about what I do and what drives me:

1.      Inspiration for Youth Enterprise (Entrepreneurship) : http://bit.ly/OaTB1z

2.       We cannot give up on our country (Governance) :  http://bit.ly/O8BCpv

3.      At the Commonwealth Secretariat in London   (Entrepreneurship) : http://bit.ly/NnBRfK

4.      Tallberg Forum (Leadership and Systems Thinking): http://bit.ly/O8BLtl

My energy is even stronger, my resolve more apt and I am not giving up yet. Let us all Do Something Positive in our communities. It is from those kinds of positive actions that will transform our world. Do good, as good will follow you.

Sustainability in African Businesses, Are we ready yet?

By Emmanuel Dennis Ngongo.

Nairobi – November 18^th 2013

I have been preparing for the Sweden@Zambia event that will be taking place in Lilongwe from November 19^th to 21^st 2013. In supporting African business development, the Swedish institute and the Swedish Embassy are keen at finding lasting solutions as part of their commitment in Africa.

My brief is on the general theme of new realities providing new opportunities. Today we all are experiencing exponential growth on various disciplines around the world. As the world changes, so we are called to adapt to new realities. It is the new realities that keep challenging us to begin to interrogate our old ways of doing things in order to adopt and create a new, solution befitting the challenges of tomorrow.

In my interactions with young people, I see a generation eager to make it in life to attain financial freedom. In emerging societies, business people are seen to be the most successful as such many young people look up to them. It then begs the question, what kind of leadership do we need in order to create sustainable economic growth in Africa today?

All African businesses exist to make profits so is any traditional business any where in the world. It doesn't matter whether the profits are ethical or not, what is commonly used in business terminologies as "the bottom line".  As I leave for Lilongwe, I am thinking through Sustainability – the best approach to business in a changing world.

The Challenge and Opportunity

Africa is endowed with natural resources. It is the virgin continent yet to exploit its full potential as a business leader in the global economy. Leading global corporations have setting their attention on the continent. The latest economic entrant is China, which is rearing to go the extra mile to make a business case for the stake in Africa. There are big challenges of corruption, war, poverty, disease, and poor infrastructure that makes business a hard sell. The growth seen in the last decade shows a lot of promise.

The challenge that we must face head on is that of setting the right framework that will ensure future generations enjoy the exponential developments that are emerging today. Africa has left much to be desired. The many new entrants are coming in on their on rules and terms.  Africa has everything to lose. The past and current trends are not sustainable.

Africa's population is nearing the 1 Billion Mark. The youth aged below 35 years make a paltry 65% of the total population. It is estimated that about 10 Million young Africans enter the job market each year. Despite the increasing youth bulge on the African continent, we still see increased unemployment across the nations, underemployment, and lack of skills due to the commercialized education system where we have some good education and poor health exacerbated by the HIV menace. If the levels of youth unemployment continue to go high, we are facing a ticking social Time Bomb that will soon explode where social conflict will be the order of the day as crime rates bite. It is time African nations put in place social, political and economic policies that will turn the youth bulge into an economic boon that Africa will be proud of.

Each African nation is struggling to get a piece of either the American, European and now the Chinese Pie without thinking of sustainability in setting up the sustainable economic development pillars.

What is a Sustainable Business?

Many companies have various versions of sustainability to fit in their profit making ventures. Others have adapted an environmental angle to brag about. Companies in Africa are thinking more about the quick profits bottom-line rather than solutions to manage the challenges they will face in the future.

A sustainable business must be adaptable to renewable resources that will in turn make their venture profitable as they meet the peoples basic needs while at the same time be accountable for the environment and human rights thus making them economically viable without compromising the opportunities for the future generations. The scenario for a company to reap economic value derived from both nature and society.

The changing trends in population growth means that competition for resources for future survival is very high. Businesses that want to continue in the competition must come up with strategies to continue being relevant in future.

One of the biggest challenges Africa is facing today is youth unemployment.Businesses must ensure they address the people challenge in ensuring continued supply of basic needs as a core human rights and within their operating ethos.This should not be misconstrued for social cooperate responsibility, but sustainability as a core function of the business.

Because Africa's economies are still struggling with the worst problems the globe has to face, business must address the social challenges to make the solutions as much inclusive or face immediate collapse.

The business must ensure the people have sustainable living standards for gainful economic development. Each business must employ a strategy for sustainability learning in order to ensure it remains relevant in the communities it targets to sell its products beyond marketing. This will only happen if we change the mindsets of the African business by protecting, conserving and regenerating our natural and human resources if our economies and society are to be sustainable.

The Ethos, Principles and Values of a sustainable business

Every thing in the ecosystem is interconnected and as such each step a business takes must be cognizant of future effects for it to remain relevant. A business depends on the people and society for profits and in this case sustainability means the business must help the society to thrive with it. These facts yield to various values including kindness, compassion, trust, empathy, responsibility, value, efficiency, respect, honesty, courage, kindness and diversity in business for society.

There is a growing global trend for sustainable products. Consumers are mounting pressure on corporations and organizations to be ecologically and socially responsible. This has been seen with the emergence of the Fair Trade movement. Millions of consumers today will only buy sustainably produced products. African businesses are not operating in isolation.

Facts any business won't run away about Sustainability

• Sustainability must be applied across the value chain and not as a stand-alone activity for a business. The dividends will be much higher.
• Sustainable products are competitive if the right market approach is employed. There is a growing trend of green consumers that business must target. The demand surpasses supply. That is where the future is.
• The business must train its workforce into a green workforce that addresses the challenges of the future to remain relevant.
• There is more return in investment if a company invests in developing the right products to cope with future demands. That is what is called sustainability in business.
• Your enterprise should be designed with sustainability as a core in operations, culture and strategy. This way it will remain in business for longevity what every business desires. Why establish a business that will fall out of the taste of the consumers in 10 years? Adaptation is expensive. Just get it right from the beginning.

The Nigerian banker and economist Tony Elumelu's injection of Africapitalism – asserts that "Africapitalism an economic philosophy that embodies the private sector's commitment to the economic transformation of Africa through investments that generate both economic prosperity and social wealth. Africa's renaissance lies in the confluence of the right business and political action"

Sustainability presents a shift on how we do business and it is the only thing that matters in an enterprise that wants to make sense off the profits it makes in the community. A business that extracts from nature and society to maintain economic viability has no place in the future.  Corporate profits do not necessarily lead to growth in the current times where consumers play a critical role in deciding what works for them. The need for a corporate paradigm shift is direr right now than what the past has presented. The models for the businesses in the changing world must and should organize and manage sustainability to remain in business. Sustainability is the buzzword. You ignore it, and your enterprise has no chance for survival.

Has your company created a sustainable code across the value chain?Is your business a liability to the environment it operates in or a value addition?

Let us all change the role of business in the African context and embrace the philosophy of sustainability if the future of Africa's children is to be guaranteed, it is moral, it is ethical and it is a matter of responsibility.

Taxing the Poor while the Rich on the Loose!

Taxing the Poor while the Rich on the Loose

Did you know that the fiscal policy framework is designed to make you poorer? Did you also know that you not be seeing any improved service delivery even after you are taxed more on commodities you need for your survival? Did you know that since the time Kenya was invaded by the rich, the Members of Parliament and tax evaders, the poor will never see peace?

Kenyans this week were rudely shocked at the effects of the new VAT Act. Basic commodities like bread and milk are now subject to a higher rate thus making it more difficult for the normal person in Kenya who does not have a high income to suffer the consequences of higher taxation.

As the days go by and as the dry season creeps in, the cost of energy will continue to sky rocket and this will push further up the process of commodities due to the factor of high energy dependency in the production sector. This is a call to all ordinary Kenyans to tighten their belts further as what happened this week was just a tip of the iceberg.

 This will further push inflation to higher numbers and make life even more difficult. It is not good news at all in as much as government will be smiling all the way to KRA to collect the revenues that are as a result of the suffering of most Kenyans.

The Lies in the VAT Act.

It is not a fact that the taxation of basic commodities will make it simple for government to collect more revenue. With majority of Kenyans living beloe the poverty line, it will make it very difficult for consumption of such commodities especially if they are out of the reach of the ordinary citizens. What should be put in place is simply a more broader look at the tax regime and find was of enhancing the already existing laws since it is highly believed that wealthier individuals in the Kenyan society are the biggest tax avaders using their big money.

There are millions of Kenyans who are not currently covered in the tax collection regime. Many of this individuals are the so called the drivers of the economy. Most of the urban centres are seeing more construction of real estate mushrooming everywhere. The rates that come with the developments are not to the reach of the ordinary citizens. However, KRA has not been successful in ensuring that there is a clear mechanism of collecting taxes from real estate owners in Kenya. This is an area that could boost further revenue collected on annual basis more than basic commodity taxes.

The transport sector is also the biggest tax evasion system that exists today. Would it be true to assume that most of the owners of the big transport companies are the real stakeholders in government thus influencing the taxation of the poor? This would be a dangerous phenomenon as it would only strengthen the resolve by the poor to invade the rich if the current trend continues.

KRA is one of the most corrupt institutions in the country as it is believed to be protecting rich individuals who are well known to evade taxes or who are using the weak system to find legal means of not paying taxes. We need more of better and transparent management system at KRA in order to fully utilise the opportunities for tax collection. I believe we can more than quadruple the current amounts collected from our current targeted tax regime whose intend is to punish the poor.

 

While it is true that Government needs to collect more revenue in order to service its current expenditure, it is immoral for more than 70% of the collected revenue to go towards recurrent expenditure instead of development. It is high time Kenyans began to demand for the worth of their money given the fact that the government is not smiling by making them even more poorer. It is only in Kenya where the poor work for the government. To be poor in Kenya is a crime and that is why the taxation regime is only targeting those who cannot afford to service the already overburdened pockets.

 

Should we be calling for another Occupy Parliament on the issue of overburdening Kenyans with unjustified taxes and unfairness on delivery of the same regime?

 

Emmanuel Dennis

 

Youth Participation in County Governance

Friends---

Youth Participation in in County Governance
The National Youth Sector Alliance (NYSA) in its focus for coherent Policy engagement with Government and other stake holders will implement a Youth Participation in County Governance Project in Kakamega County from May to July 2013.
The Challenge in Kakamega County.

The implementation of the Constitutional Provisions on Devolution and the realization of the objectives of devolved government pose a challenge for Kakamega County; for one, Kakamega as a county voted largely for the CORD and Amani Coalitions. Taking into account that these are not the major parties in either the National Assembly or the Senate, there are real fears of marginalization.

Devolution is still a new concept and hence not well understood by the local citizens. The delineation of roles between county and national governments is not well understood and hence the citizens are not clear on what services to demand from the county government.

Under section 106 of the County Government Act, there is requirement for funds to be appropriated only within a planning framework for the County; it is not clear that this requirement is well understood by the County Executive and County Assembly and hence the possibility of planning process being rushed once the county executive realizes that expenditure is contingent upon existence of a county plan. Coupled with the requirement to integrate national and county planning under section 107 of the County Government Act (and this forms the basis of aligning county plans with Vision 2030).

NYSA will support young leaders to participate in the development of the Kakamega county plan. Without the participation of the citizens, there is real risk of the takeoff of devolution being delayed and/or undermined and this would sabotage the very essence of decentralization.

Local Partners
NYSA realizes the need to develop the capacity of local community based organizations and will thus be working in partnership with Magharibi Human Rights (MAHURI), the Mobile Movement (MM), Kakamega County Yes Youth Can- Youth Bunge, and the Grass Roots Empowerment Trust. All the organizations involved will mobilize county officials in the various constituencies as well as the leadership of the County Government at County Level.

What is the issue?
Devolution is still a fairly new phenomenon that has the potential to ease access to services for the citizens by bringing the service delivery points closer to the citizens, enhancing participation in the civic and political life by the citizens and with the proximate access to duty bearers, it increases the opportunities for holding the duty bearers to account. However, the possibility of the foregoing objectives not being realized is real, more so if the citizens are unaware of the services to be offered by the county governments and hence they would have no basis for demanding accountability; further, the system of checks and balances placed on the county governments by the law through requirements for participatory planning may not be met if knowledge levels on these requirements are low.

With the conclusion of the General Elections and the swearing in of the elected County Government Officials (Governors and County Assembly Members), the process of bringing into life the County Governments took off in earnest; it is however not clear the extent to which the county officials are prepared for their new roles. For example, are they aware of the requirement for planning framework as the basis for spending?; do they have the requisite skills to enable them undertake the development of an integrated county plan?; are they aware of the Constitutional and legal requirements for popular participation in the county planning and governance processes? It is imperative that these issues are addressed in the short term/immediately to enable the county have a development plan that is developed in a participatory manner in preparation for the budgeting processes that is currently on-going, in readiness for the presentation of revenue and expenditure estimates to the National Assembly.

NYSA's Involvement
NYSA is carrying out this activities based from its experience in organizing Policy dialogue efforts at a national level. This will be the first direct County intervention in the new system with similarity to the (Prime Ministers Round Table with the Youth, Ministerial Stakeholder Forums, Policy Advocacy – Peace Policy, Youth Formation Survey, Community participatory meetings, Entrepreneurship and empowerment activities. NYSA undertook a regional based civic education program towards the end of 2012 that involved 100 participants from all the constituencies in the county.
We also had participants from the County participate in the National Youth Summit, and this program will be a good platform to follow up with the same group of leaders in activating issues they brought from the summit to the county based intervention. 

This specific activity focused more on the role of young people in getting involved in the constituency initiatives such as management of the Constituency Development Fund and the Youth Enterprise Development Fund. Other activities that took place in the county were empowerment activities on the role of the people in accountability to check their leaders.

OBJECTIVE
To involve youth leaders in engaging the leadership of Kakamega County in setting up systems of governance through private, public dialogue.

Activities
1. Engage the leadership of the County through establishing the Governors People's Round Table (GPRT).
2. Training of 150 youth leaders to be involved in developing county development plans.
3. Carry out Civic education program on the role of citizens in the management of the county government.
The project will take place in all the 12 Constituencies of Kakamega County, Butere, Ikolomani, Khwisero, Likuyani, Lugari, Lurambi, Malava, Matungu, Mumias, Mumias East, Navakholo, and Shinyalu Constituencies.

Expected Results
1. A governors round table with the people established
2. A matrix of county development issues are drawn out for implementation
3. An integrated county based civic education program carried out
4. Increased number of county residents involved in developing appropriated development plans
5. Trained youth leaders engaging the leadership and participating in the affairs of the county
6. Increased civic knowledge among the residents of the county

Call for Support and partnership
The realization that the issues we aim to address in this project are of Leadership and Governance target area, we are cognizance that our target audience will be youthful and as such the need to incorporate other areas such as Entrepreneurship and economic empowerment.
NYSA is welcoming partnerships in the empowerment target area from well wishers and support agencies.
The target for the project is equally humble and we welcome opportunities for support in order to increase the number of the citizens participating in this project.

For further information
Contact
Emmanuel Dennis
National Youth Sector Alliance
Email: emmanuel.dennis@gmail.com
Cell Phone: 0722619005

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Climate Change and the Global Power Shift

Good Friends,

Today our planetary systems are in danger. For the first time in human history, the Carbon Dioxide Levels are about to hit 400 P.P.M due to human activity on emmisions. Last November, Bill McKibben and 350.org hit the road across the United States to launch a movement strong enough to change the terrifying maths of the climate crisis. This was called the Do The Math tour, and it was a massive success, with sold-out shows in over 20 cities.

Last month, a documentary about this tour was released and it premiered across the USA. Now, this film about the emerging climate movement is going global. 

Click here to learn more and host a movie screening on 16 May, 2013.

The screening can be as small as inviting a few friends over to your home or a large public event at a community centre.

Watch the trailer and witness the power of the growing climate movement that is effectively resisting the fossil fuel industry.

Click to watch the trailer

We're resisting extreme enegry projects across the planet. We would like to build divestment campaigns here in East Africa, starting with Kenya; and we're catalysing a Global Power Shift to strengthen this movement on an unprecedented scale. 

Help spread this movement film to your friends -- onwards and help save our planet!
We have already started discussions with a small team of Kenyans who will be participating in the Global Power Shift meeting in Istanbul Turkey.
We would like you to be part of the conversation, so that we can create our own Kenya Power Shift on Climate Change.


Kindly get in touch with me on emmanuel@thegreenteams.org if you would like to be part of the conversation of creating a Kenyan Power Shift on Climate Change.
This will be part of the 350.org that is building a global movement to solve the climate crisis. You can help power our work by getting involved locally. Get in touch with us. 

Looking forward to reading from you.
ED

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The accountability questions of our Country Kenya

So much is going in the new Government as it tries to shape the next five years. There are lots of expectations from every one on what the Government is going to do in order to fulfill the campaign promises. Very little is being said about who will hold it to account. In fact there have been choruses of "Give them time to deliver on their promises" I wish the same could be said to the jobless youth across the country, to the sick who can not afford medical care and to the hungry who can not afford a meal a day.

But let's get back to the main issue of focus here. How many Kenyans out there are ready to begin to ask themselves the difficult question of responsibility. How many people out the are ready to take responsibility of their own country?

What are you going to do differently this year that is going to make this country a better place?
Who do you think is responsible for what is going on in your life today?

Are we ready as a country to support the Government achieve it's promises or are we going to seat about and wait only to cry foul when things begin to go haywire?

We have Devolved Units of Government that are supposed to bring power close to the people and in the same vein ensure that e people feel more represented.

The biggest question is do the majority of Kenyans understand how the new system of Government is going to work and who holds their voices in debates that will be going on in senate, National Assembly and County Assemblies?

Much has been said about a self centered civil society. How many people out there believe that the civil society does not represent the alternative voices of the people?
Politicians argue that civil society does not have amoral high ground to represent the people since they have not been elected.

The big question is when the elected representatives gang up to squeeze dry the tax payers, whose interest do they represent? Is that the reason they were elected? So that they manipulate the poor tax paupers to pay them fat salaries while other Kenyans languish in poverty?

When the representatives of the people go in cahoots against the wishes of the people, who should the people turn to for redress?

Who will answer this fundamental questions?

What is the responsibility for ensuring that the people in a sovereign nation that is Kenya are well represented without feeling as though they are electing leaders who are just interested in self fulfillment?

May God Bless Kenya.

Emmanuel Dennis
Sent from my iPad

Why the Youth have been short changed in the Jubilee Governement

When we lobbied to have the Ministry of Youth Affairs in 2006, President Kibaki heeded to our calls based on the fact that the "Mainstreaming of Youth" agenda had failed. Many gains have been felt since then. The Youth Enterprise Development Fund has realized somewhat results in supporting the enterprise agenda. More youth have their own businesses now due to the ease of accessing credit albeit the high interest rates. More and more youth can now carry out business with Government using the 10% procurement rule. There more other private youthful ventures going on and this gains need be replicated.

The environment for youth empowerment has been improving amid the structural and systemic challenges that youth still face today.

During the just concluded elections, youth were on the frontline especially within the Jubilee Coalition. They exemplified a well coordinated and superbly managed campaign. The youth played a critical role to the success of the Jubilee Coalition campaign.

As a result of the last elections, young people constituted 61% of the 85% voter turn out. There are over 35 youth as Senators and in the National Assembly and over 300 youth elected as County Representatives. This shows the brilliant performance of youth in the just concluded epic elective contest.

A friend said that the youth made their money during their campaigns and those that were clever bought fuel guzzlers. This statement isn't far from the truth.

In redefining the structure of the new Government, the president and deputy president lumped up the Youth to be an insignificant department in Government. The president is on record as saying the youth will be mainstreamed within all functions and decision mKing of the Government.

It has always been my position that the creation of a Ministry of Youth in Kenya contributed immensely in the sidelining and marginalizing of youth in matters governance as well as decision making at policy level. All other ministries shunned the youth while the Ministry of Youth equally turned a blind eye to the same youth that created it. The officer who were redeployed to the ministry had no clue what youth development is. This is a sad state of affairs.

My belief was and continues to be that matters youth should be put on the forefront of every ministries core functions. This is beyond a youth desk at the ministries. It is about making sure that in each step of every policy development, the emergent challenges that the country's youthful population must be entrained in order to address those issues with an open minded strategy.

At this juncture I would like to congratulate the president and deputy president for nominating the cabinet secretaries. Many of them have very superb CVs and I have no doubt that given a positive political goodwill, they will perform their duties to Kenya with diligence. However in the same vein, I would like to protest the nomination of Charity Ngilu as well as Najib Balala. The deputy President categorically pointed out that there shall be no politicians in cabinet. This seemed to have been a public relations lie.

It is now the time for the youth to come out and protest the reluctance of the President and Deputy President despite their promise of ensuring the youth are included in their Government, they have gone contrary to that assertion by cutting of the Ministry of Youth and at the same time not nominating even one Youth in Cabinet. We now need to see as many youth organizations and individuals writing the Parliamentary Committee to state this fact in ensuring adequate youth representation at Cabinet level.

We should remain vigilant but at the same time constructively contribute positive agenda in support of the Government to deliver it's promise to the youth of Kenya.

Emmanuel Dennis
Sent from my iPad